20+ Famous Women Who Prove That Having Asian Heritage Is Pretty Badass

$15,000 is the average amount of money a regular woman spends on beauty products during her entire lifetime, according to some sources. And this count doesn’t include manicures, pedicures, or beauty salons. Beauty product manufacturers do everything they can to earn more and more money from their clients. But as it turns out, we don’t need all these products in the first place.

Based on studies, Bright Side dispelled 10 myths about beauty products that we used to think were true.

Myth № 1: “Beauty injections” should be when you’re younger in order to prevent wrinkles.

According to some reasonable cosmetologists, this unhealthy trend helps beauty salons earn money by taking advantage of the fear of their clients who don’t want to have wrinkles. Beauty injections drain the resources of the skin making it more vulnerable. In fact, a healthy woman’s body has enough hyaluronic acid to keep the skin looking good and the decrease in the amount of this acid only starts at the age of 60.

Also, if there are no good reasons (like really deep wrinkles) to inject Botox, you shouldn’t do it. The thing is, the younger a person is, the more actively the immune system produces the antibodies to the botulinum toxin. There is an opinion that as the immunity to the toxin increases, the effectiveness of every next injection drops. However, after the age of 40, the antibodies don’t get produced at the same rate, so the effect from the injections will be more long-lasting. Of course, this is only true if the person didn’t have any injections when they were younger.

Myth № 2: Organic beauty products are better than regular ones.

Organic beauty products are extremely popular today but it’s not quite clear when they can be considered organic and when they can’t. There are some criteria: at least 90% of the ingredients have to be organic, received by the extraction process, and the raw materials should grow in clear fields that have all the necessary certificates. But often, the manufacturers of these products are so focused on doing all they can to satisfy all of these conditions that they sometimes forget about the effectiveness of the products themselves. So, there’s still a big question about whether these products are effective or not.

On top of that, organic products are not equipped to deal with all of our issues. For example, non-organic beauty products have a better chance of fighting pigmentation and wrinkles and can even moisturize the skin better.

Myth № 3: Sweating should be blocked with antiperspirants.

Sweating helps our bodies to remove toxins and helps us control the temperature of our body — everyone knows this. But for some reason, the fact that sweating is an important defensive function of the body is often ignored. It is dangerous to limit sweating.

Antiperspirants limit sweating by blocking the sebaceous glands. Obviously, this doesn’t lead to anything good. Our constant usage of antiperspirants leads to big problems with our microbiome. So, it is best if you use these products no more than 2-3 times per week and wash them off before you go to sleep. The best option is to buy non-aggressive deodorants with safe ingredients. For example, the ones made of natural mineral salt that prevent the production of bacteria and the unpleasant smell.

Korean facial creams and Asian beauty products, in general, are extremely popular now. And they deserve the hype, but there are some other things you should know, according to beauty journalist Yana Zubtsova and cosmetologist Tiyna Orasmäe-Meder, the authors of Beauty Myths. The Truth About Botox, Organic Products, Stem Cells, and Other Things. Yes, these beauty products have good whitening and moisturizing effects, but the products are based on the skin problems of the local women.

For classic European problems, like early wrinkles, acne, and other issues, Korean cosmetics are not any better. Wrinkles and ptosis appear in Korean women later. Also, the climate and the mentality of the countries are different: Asian women, according to the authors, are more systematic when it comes to their skin care routines.

Myth № 5: Massage is just a way to relax.

Few people see the link between wrinkles and neck spasms. But in fact, all the human muscles are connected: if some muscles get contracted, others will relax and vice versa. So, if a good expert works on one area of the body, a totally different area may get fixed.

For example, if you frown often, there is a high chance that the muscles near the chin will sag. The facial muscles are directly connected with the muscles of the back of the neck, so the shape of the face can be slightly changed if these muscles are massaged. Relaxing the muscles is the first step, making them stronger is what should follow. Face fitness with a good cosmetologist is something that every woman should at least try to do.

Myth № 6: Lip balms prevent dryness.

The advantage of using lip balms is highly overestimated. Some experts even think that they are completely useless: by applying a lip balm, you suppress the natural mechanism of evaporation and skin restoration because balms prevent the removal of dead skin cells. Also, using lip balms often becomes a habit and many ladies love to lick their lips when there is something on them, which leads to them becoming very dry.

A good alternative to useless balms is vitamin E capsules. Rub the oil from them on the lips every morning and evening.

Myth № 7: Battling cellulite is a never-ending series of massage and body wraps.

Almost all women worry about having “orange peel” skin which allows beauty product manufacturers to earn a lot of money. But this happens only because very few people actually know anything about creams and how they should be used.

Using anti-cellulite products should be based on the menstrual cycle phases. During the first phase, after the start of the menstruation (12-14 days), you can use products that burn fat. For example, you can do the caffeine wraps or the so-called anti-cellulite massage. And during the second phase (after ovulation), the level of the progesterone hormone increases: it causes water retention and simplifies the synthesis of fats. So during this period, you should use the products that decrease puffiness and do a manual lymphatic drainage.

Myth № 8: We should sleep under a thin blanket because being cold is good for our health.

In fact, it is better to sleep under a heavy blanket. American researchers have even come to the conclusion that a heavier blanket (from 10 to 30 lbs) could help people fall asleep faster. The reason is that the deep pressure relaxes the body and serotonin and dopamine hormones are produced, just as they are when you get a massage. If you don’t have access to the 10-30 lb blanket, a heavy comforter will also do the trick.

According to some studies, a heavy blanket can decrease the risk of developing depression, help fight insomnia, and is great for people with autism, anxiety, stress, and aggression. However, this popular method also has opponents that doubt the fact that a blanket can treat psychological problems without any additional therapy.

Myth № 9: Facial creams should not be applied in cold weather.

It is believed that using creams in freezing weather is a terrible idea because the water in the product will freeze and cause some kind of damage. This is why we put our regular beauty products aside and buy special “winter” creams and oils. But this is the money that we simply waste for nothing.

Of course, you should not go outside with a wet face when the temperature is below 0ºF. It can lead to skin dehydration. But you can use moisturizing creams even though they are 50-80% water. The water in the cream won’t freeze because your skin heats it. Your skin temperature is never lower than 32ºC. So, even the coldest days will still allow you to walk outside with some cream on your face for at least an hour. But it’s better to use some thick cream and just before you go outside, apply some powder to your face which will protect your skin from the cold temperature.

Myth № 10: Thermal water hydrates the skin.

According to many advertisements, thermal water is an important part of moisturizing the skin. But, as it turns out that even this simple spray has to be used correctly. If you simply apply some thermal water on your face, you will actually dehydrate the skin which is the opposite of what you want. It is all about the laws of physics: water evaporates along with all the moisture from your skin. Using thermal water on the beach is a terrible idea because it will allow the UV-light to affect your skin even more.

Here is the right way to use thermal water: in order to allow it to properly moisturize the skin, spray some of it on your face, slightly massage the skin until the water gets absorbed and apply some cream on top. Or you can use the water after the cream, also massaging it into the skin. And if you want to just wash your face, you should wipe it with a napkin after that.

What do you think about these myths? Are you ready to replace your favorite blanket or stop using antiperspirants?